Top 6 Lakes around São Cristóvão

The Pego do Altar Dam, originally named Salazar Dam, is a dam built on the bed of the Ribeira das Alcáçovas, in the Sado River basin, in the parish of Santa Susana, in the municipality of Alcácer do Sal, Portugal. The Salazar Dam was built in 1949, during the Estado Novo period, to harness the waters for agriculture in the Sado Valley (rice fields of Alcácer do Sal) and for hydroelectric generation. Its reservoir is now a point of great tourist interest, particularly for sport fishing.

The Pego do Altar Dam, originally named Salazar Dam, is a dam built on the bed of the Ribeira das Alcáçovas, in the Sado River basin, in the parish of Santa Susana, in the municipality of Alcácer do Sal, Portugal.[1] The then Salazar Dam was built in 1949, during the Estado Novo period, to harness the waters for agriculture in the Sado Valley (rice fields of Alcácer do Sal) and for hydroelectric generation. Its reservoir is now a point of great tourist interest, particularly for sport fishing.

The Pego do Altar Dam is located a few kilometres from Alcácer do Sal and was built in 1949 to supply the agricultural area of the Sado River valley and to produce electricity. Today it is very popular with foreigners in their motorhomes and with sports fishing enthusiasts. It is a magical place due to its landscapes, its capacity for leisure activities and its importance in irrigating the fields, where the main irrigated crop is rice. Not far from the Pego do Altar Dam, the village of Santa Susana has a curious feature: some buildings with modernist architecture from the 1940s, which are due to a benefactor of the region, Henrique Louro Fernandes, whose monogram (HF) can be found on some of them. A small church, with two 16th-century panels inside, somewhat deteriorated but magnificent, completes the interesting visit to this place. Recently, the drought that hit this area “uncovered” an old 200-year-old bridge that was submerged by the waters of the dam.

The Pego do Altar Dam is located a few kilometres from Alcácer do Sal and was built in 1949 to supply the agricultural area of the Sado River valley and to produce electricity. Today it is very popular with foreigners in their motorhomes and with sports fishing enthusiasts. It is a magical place due to its landscapes, its capacity for leisure activities and its importance in irrigating the fields, where the main irrigated crop is rice. Not far from the Pego do Altar Dam, the village of Santa Susana has a curious feature: some buildings with modernist architecture from the 1940s, which are due to a benefactor of the region, Henrique Louro Fernandes, whose monogram (HF) can be found on some of them. A small church, with two 16th-century panels inside, somewhat deteriorated but magnificent, completes the interesting visit to this place. Recently, the drought that hit this area “uncovered” an old 200-year-old bridge that was submerged by the waters of the dam.

excellent route, easy level of difficulty

Private property, but access is permitted as long as civility rules are respected. Area where there are cattle, so be careful when approaching these animals. Excellent area for observing water birds.

This is an arm of the Pego do Altar Dam, which serves to irrigate the rice fields in the Alcácer do Sal area.